Environment Improvement Plan 2023
Government In England publishes its Environment Improvement Plan For 2023
The Government promised to review this plan every 5 years and has just made this review now.
To achieve its vision, the plan set ten goals.
The plan goals include:
• Goal 1 – thriving plants and wildlife
• Goal 2 – clean air
• Goal 3 – clean and plentiful water
• Goal 4 – managing exposure to chemicals and pesticides
• Goal 5 – maximise our resources, minimise out waste
• Goal 6 – using resources from nature sustainably
• Goal 7 – mitigating and adapting to climate change
• Goal 8 – reduced risk of harm from environmental hazards
• Goal 9 – enhancing biosecurity
• Goal 10 – enhancing beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment
Firewood Express focus on goal 2 of the plan; clean air. Air quality in the UK has improved significantly in recent decades with decreases in all five major air pollutants.
Between 2010 and 2020 emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) decreased by 18%; emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) decreased by 44%; sulphur dioxide (SO2) by 70%, non- methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) by 14%, and ammonia (NH3) by 0.2%. These reductions have produced significant benefits for health and the environment.
Data from 2020 indicates that, in the UK, emissions from the home, agriculture, industry and transport combined contributed 85% of PM2.5, 87% of NO2 and 90% of NH3 emissions to the air.
The Environment Improvement Plan clearly states that the government is not considering a ban on domestic burning in England and it recognises that some households are reliant on solid fuel burning for heating, hot water and cooking. Additionally, a ban on domestic outdoor burning would be considered disproportionate.
However, they have targeted the following improvements:
• Tighten the limits that new stoves in Smoke Control Areas must meet, reducing the limit from 5g of smoke per hour to a maximum of 3g.
• Extend the solid fuels legislation, including to fuels burned outside. This would provide consistency in the market making it easier for consumers, improve compliance with legislation and improve air quality. This would not introduce new requirements for traditional fuels used for barbecues, such as charcoal.
• Design and implement measures to drive a shift away from older, more polluting appliances, to newer appliances which meet the tough new emission standards.
Further to the plans, HETAS and Woodsure are continuing to work with Defra and other organisations as they develop a targeted communications campaign to promote best practice use of wood stoves and fireplaces by utilising cleaner and more efficient fuels, and techniques to reduce exposure to pollutants.
Firewood Stoves and Boilers
HETAS have introduced the Cleaner Choice certification scheme for stoves, boilers and biomass systems. Appliances listed on the scheme already demonstrate at least a 50% improvement on the current particulate limits for exemption. Firewood Express wholeheartedly support this development and already annually encourage their customers to consider an upgrade.
Firewood Quality
The Ready to Burn certified fuels supplied by Firewood Express have become recognised as the environmentally responsible choice, reducing impacts on air quality. The Environment Improvement Plan identifies that burning this standard of firewood can reduce emissions by 50% when compared to wetter firewood, and when burned in a Cleaner Choice appliance can reduce these impacts further. Firewood Express are committed to maintain this standard through internal systems with independent assessment and audit.
